We Are Officially "Off-Air"

The Archives

September 9, 2010

I get lots of questions in my day-to-day duties as one of the only non-radio cats at a radio station.
"Can you carry this box?"
"If it says a WWDTM show is sold out, does that mean I can't get tickets?"
"Did you lose weight or get a haircut?"
(Always.‚ That's what "sold out" means, yes.‚ Probably.)
But the one I'll answer for you today is:
"What are the makings of a tremendously supercool (which is "cool" with a cape...) Live Events Series, Don?"

The recipe is pretty simple:
One extraordinary Executive Producer (Breeze Richardson)
One amazing Marketing Director (Vanessa Harris)
One unbelievably talented Creative Director (Jane Verwys)
Five cloves of Garlic *
Fantastic Partnering Organizations
The Chicago Reader
Ten Places that You've Never Been
The Finest City in the World
(* if you're not into garlic, add one loudmouthed Irish guy with a title like...I don't know...Events Coordinator or Chairman of Snacks...)
Mix well.‚ Stick in the oven at 365 degrees.‚ Season to taste.
And you have the WBEZ Off-Air Series for 2010/2011.
And, folks, you Do Not Wanna Miss This.
You can read about all of the ten monthly events here but if you're so enamored of my prose, read on.
In addition to:
A celebration of the Freedom Riders that helped chart the course to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's
Possibly the largest Coffee Cupping ever (think wine tasting for coffee) combined with Coffee-centric prose read by notable Chicago authors
A double feature at a Drive-in!!!
A night of debauched nostalgia surrounding the weird world of Chicago theater
Scientists, graffiti artists, and Bob Edwards
We are kicking this series off with the 2nd Annual Chicago Chef Battle.‚ Food, beer and WBEZ - what more do you want?‚ Massages?‚ Be serious!
Five notable Chicago Chefs:
Chef Sean Sanders - BrowntroutChef Cody V. Butler - Boiler RoomChef David Carrier - Kith & KinChef Barry Sorkin - SMOQUE BBQChef Ryan Hutmacher - Centered Chef Food Studios
Five Goose Island beers.
Five dishes that use the beer as a main ingredient.
All at the Goose Island Brewery, with Tony Sarabia spinning tunes and Mike Sula (in disguise because he's a food critic and is very ashamed) awarding a prize to the chef YOU chose.
And if you're a member, you can get all of this for 12 bucks.‚ Seriously.‚ TWELVE BUCKS.
How can we make this happen for our members?‚ Cuz that's how we roll.‚ Don't ask so many questions.‚ It might go away.
I'll see you there.‚ I'll be the one who smells like garlic...
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